Remember middle school? And how scared you were to move up from elementary school to the “big kids' school?” Today's middle schoolers have to deal with many of the same challenges we did when we were their age, like a ton of schoolwork, raging hormones, peer pressure, and lots of self-doubt. On top of all that, they also have social media and cyber-bullying to worry about.

Many grown-ups who feel overwhelmed by the strain of daily living find relief in mindfulness. “Release,” a short film by Julie Bayer Salzman and Josh Salzman of Wavecrest Films, aims to show how focusing on the present moment could also help middle schoolers as they transition from childhood to early adolescence.

The “mindful short” shows middle schoolers talking about the challenges they face in their day to day lives, from having too much homework to not knowing what to say in a text. "There's a bunch of papers flying through my brain and people running around and there's a fire in there," shared one child.

Watch the video to see the rest. Warning: you might need a tissue (or three).

Do you also practice mindfulness? How has it helped you? We'd love to hear you stories. Sound off in the comments!

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